Savoury cheese profiteroles

Ingredients

For the choux pastry

• 150 g plain wheat flour
• 220 ml water
• 80 g butter
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp salt
• a pinch of ground mace or grated nutmeg
• 180 g matured hard cheese

For the cream filling

• 300 g cottage cheese
• 250 g cream cheese
• 100 g soured cream
• zest of 1 lime
• a little chopped parsley
• garlic salt, to taste

For cream filling variations

Option 1:

• 1 avocado
• 50 g matured hard cheese

Option 2:

• 1 roasted red pepper
• 3 sun-dried tomato slices
• 1 tsp paprika powder
• a pinch of chilli

This quantity of ingredients will make approximately 40 profiteroles.

Method

1. Preheat a saucepan with the water, butter, and salt until it comes to the boil. Immediately add all the flour and stir over the heat until the mixture forms a smooth ball and a thin white film forms on the base of the pan. Remove from the heat and let it cool slightly.
2. When the mixture has cooled slightly, add the eggs one at a time. Eggs can first be lightly beaten with a fork in a separate bowl until smooth (without whisking) and then added gradually. Alternatively, use a suitable electric mixer.
3. Add each egg only once the previous one is fully incorporated. When adding the final egg (or portion), lift the mixture to check consistency – it should be as thick as double cream. If the mixture is too stiff, it will not rise properly; if too soft, the profiteroles may collapse. Finally, fold in half of the grated hard cheese and a pinch of grated nutmeg or ground mace.
4. Preheat the oven to 180–200 °C (fan off) or 160 °C (fan). The profiteroles can also be baked in a gas oven. Prepare two baking trays by greasing them lightly or lining them with baking paper.
5. Shape the mixture into balls about 3 cm in diameter using two spoons moistened with water, or pipe through a piping bag fitted with a plain round nozzle. If the mixture is difficult to release from the bag, use scissors to help cut it off. Smooth the tops with a damp finger to make them as even as possible. Place the balls on the baking tray, leaving sufficient space between them, as they will expand during baking. Sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 20–30 minutes without opening the door. Cool on a wire rack. Repeat with the second tray.
7. For the filling, blend the quark, cream cheese, and lime zest until smooth. Gradually stir in the soured cream until the filling reaches a thick, spoonable consistency. Add lime juice and garlic salt to taste.
8. Divide the cream into three portions:
   Portion 1: Stir in chopped parsley and a little grated hard cheese.
   Portion 2: Blend in avocado and fold in the remaining hard cheese.
   Portion 3: Mix in roasted red pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, paprika, and chilli pepper.
9. Once the profiteroles have cooled, slice them in half and fill with the creams. Fill the avocado cream just before serving, as it oxidises and discolours quickly.